CAB9-1_PT2 — Page 222

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Printed for the use of the Colonial Office. June 30, 1898.

SECRET.

No. 190 R.

CANADA.

C.O. No. 8067.

Report of the Department of Militia and Defence for the Year ended December 31, 1897.

Remarks by the Colonial Defence Committee.

THE net military expenditure of the Dominion for the year ended the 30th June, 1897, was 2,396,438 dollars (say, 479,2881.) against 2,116,816 dollars (say, 423,3631.) for the year ended the 30th June, 1896. 88,1457. (including 2,1121. for special camp equipment) was spent on the annual training of the Militia against 19,7651. in 1895-96, with the result that nearly the whole of the Active Militia were drilled in 1897 with, according to the Major-General Commanding, "marked beneficial results" (page 24). The other items on which the expenditure was considerably greater than in the previous year, were clothing and necessaries, and the Dominion Cartridge Factory, in which the manufacture of 303-in. cordite ammunition is in full swing. The expenditures on the Jubilee contingent, and on various minor items, were special to the year. On the other hand, the expenditure (from capital account) on arms, &c., was considerably less than in 1895-96, in which year new rifles for the Canadian forces were purchased, and there has also been a considerable decrease in the capital expenditure for works and buildings at Esquimalt, where the defences are now approaching completion.

The allotment of the funds voted by the Dominion Parliament for defence purposes in the year 1896–97, appears to the Committee to have been on the whole satisfactory. They think it may be of interest to the Government of Canada to learn that, according to the latest figures available, the annual sums devoted by the other self-governing Colonies to defence are as follows:

Cape of Good Hope Natal

Western Australia

South Australia..

Victoria

Queensland

New South Wales

New Zealand

Tasmania

£

238,788

11,735

11,625

30.280

175,052

227,967

87,263

11,489

103,350

In the United Kingdom the estimated expenditure for defence in the year 1898-99 is 18,156,5201. for the Army, and 23,778,0001. for the Navy.

2. The handing over of the new rifles to the Militia proceeds but slowly, only 6,000 having been issued at the date of the Report to City Battalions, in addition to those issued to the Permanent Force (p. 2). This delay, due to the necessity for providing central

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